Andrew Korybko |
The Turkish Foreign Minister trumpeted his country’s strategic relations with China after a meeting with his counterpart on the sidelines of last weekend’s ASEAN Summit.
As reported by Reuters, he said that – quote – “We take China’s security as our security…We absolutely will not allow in Turkey any activities targeting or opposing China. Additionally, we will take measures to eliminate any media reports targeting China” – end quote.
As reported by Reuters, he said that – quote – “We take China’s security as our security…We absolutely will not allow in Turkey any activities targeting or opposing China. Additionally, we will take measures to eliminate any media reports targeting China” – end quote. The news outlet interpreted this as having to do with the Uighurs, a Turkic people in China’s northwestern autonomous province of Xinjiang. Some of them have received terrorist training abroad and returned back to their home region to carry out attacks, while others have immigrated – often times illegally – to Turkey, which they regard as their civilizational homeland.
Read more:The rise and fall of secularism in modern Turkey
I predicted this immediately after the regime change attempt when I wrote a very concise briefing titled “Post-Coup Turkey Will Be Distinctly Eurasian”, in which I made the forecast that Turkey would rapidly intensify its relations with both Russia and China in response to its previous American patron backstabbing it.
Ankara had previously voiced official concern at the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uighur, and this was interpreted very negatively back in Beijing where the authorities regard this issue as one of its most sensitive domestic topics. Moreover, some Uighur terrorists traveled through Turkey on their way to Syria in joining Daesh, al Nusra, and other such groups, and some reporters wondered aloud whether this was done with the government’s complicity or allowed through its passive acceptance.
Read more: Fraying US-Turkey relations over US support of Syrian Kurds
Nevertheless, Turkey has fundamentally reoriented its geostrategic focus ever since the failed pro-American coup against President Erdogan last summer, and there are nowadays no chances whatsoever that the country would ever actively or passively go against China’s interests, as can be seen, most clearly through the bold statement of Foreign Minister Cavusoglu. I predicted this immediately after the regime change attempt when I wrote a very concise briefing titled “Post-Coup Turkey Will Be Distinctly Eurasian”, in which I made the forecast that Turkey would rapidly intensify its relations with both Russia and China in response to its previous American patron backstabbing it.
This works out to a classic win-win between both sides, but it’s all conditional on Turkey ensuring that its territory isn’t used for hosting any anti-Chinese elements, whether terrorist, media or otherwise.
Adding some substance to Turkey’s new era of relations with China is its participation in Beijing’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, an ambitious series of projects which are laying the physical foundations of the emerging Multipolar World Order. Turkey would of course love to become a transit state in facilitating EU-Chinese trade along the South Eurasian Rimland, but while the associated transport links may take some time to build, it could more immediately become the main partner for Chinese firms in the region.
Read more:Turkey marks first anniversary of the failed military coup
Turkish companies are active all throughout the Mideast, so the strategic partnership that China has clinched with the country allows it to use them as both its gateway and anchor in this part of the world in exchange for the said firms receiving valuable investment and business deals. This works out to a classic win-win between both sides, but it’s all conditional on Turkey ensuring that its territory isn’t used for hosting any anti-Chinese elements, whether terrorist, media or otherwise.
https://sputniknews.com/radio_context_countdown/201708111056353646-polexit-singapore-turkey-china/
DISCLAIMER: The author writes for this publication in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other media outlet or institution.
Andrew Korybko is a political analyst, journalist and a regular contributor to several online journals, as well as a member of the expert council for the Institute of Strategic Studies and Predictions at the People’s Friendship University of Russia. He specializes in Russian affairs and geopolitics, specifically the US strategy in Eurasia.The views expressed in this article are author’s own. It does not reflect Global Village Space Editorial policy.